Can You Make Your Own Topical Finasteride?
What is Topical Finasteride?
Finasteride is the most effective hair loss treatment for men who are experiencing Male Pattern Baldness (MPB), the most common form of hair loss.
While the treatment has traditionally been sold in tablet form, there is now a Topical form of Finasteride available.
Topical medicines come in a liquid form and are applied directly to the treated area. Creams and gels are everyday examples of topical treatments.
Topical Finasteride is a prescription-only treatment, and you need to be assessed by a clinician in order to get a prescription.
Hims offers free online consultations with a UK-registered clinician. If the clinician approves, you can have your prescription to Finasteride shipped to you.
How Does Topical Finasteride Help Prevent Hair Loss?
Finasteride prevents hair loss in men by blocking production of DHT, the hormone primarily responsible for MPB.
By blocking production of this hormone, hair loss is prevented, and in many cases hair can regrow.
We’ve included more information about the effectiveness of Topical Finasteride taken from scientific studies below.
Can You Make Your Own Topical Finasteride?
If you are wondering whether or not you can brew up your own batch of Topical Finasteride at home, then the short answer is yes.
The long answer, which is the one you should pay attention to, is: yes – but you probably shouldn’t
Although it’s possible to create a DIY version of the treatment, this method has not been proven to result in a product that is effective or even safe to use.
As a result, it’s always better to opt for a version that is produced under strict regulatory conditions, like the ones offered by Freshman.
Other Important Notes About Topical Finasteride
If you are already using oral Finasteride tablets
It’s important that you do not use both oral Finasteride tablets and Topical Finasteride solution at the same time.
If you use both treatments, you will exceed your recommended dosage, which is likely to negatively affect your hair loss treatment process.
Keep Your Topical Finasteride Safe
It’s important that you keep your treatment out of reach of children. We also recommend that you label your container clearly, especially if you have family members in your household who are taking other forms of medicine.
Why You Shouldn’t Make Topical Finasteride Yourself
In this case, the old adage holds true: just because you can do something, it doesn’t mean you should. Medicines are manufactured in strictly controlled environments and for good reason: they are designed to have a specific effect on your body and so ensuring that the dose is accurate and free of contamination is critical.
Among the many reasons why making Topical Finasteride in your home is a daft idea, two stand out.
Powdered Finasteride is a Risk for Pregnant Women
Women are advised never to take Finasteride and to avoid it even more when pregnant, due to the possibility of birth anomalies.
This is usually not that much of an issue, since Finasteride typically comes in the form of a pill and unless you actually swallow the pill, you’re unlikely to be exposed to it. When ground into a fine powder, however, it may easily contaminate the air or surfaces and lead to unintentional exposure by third parties.
The finer the powder, the harder it is to contain. In pharmaceutical manufacturing environments, these risks are managed using laminar flow cabinets that use airflow to prevent fine particles from escaping. Chances are you don’t have something similar at home.
It’s Hard to Guarantee a Consistent Dose
To make Topical Finasteride you must dissolve the powdered Finasteride in some kind of solution. You want to ensure that each drop of your resulting product contains a similar amount of Finasteride so that your dose doesn’t fluctuate wildly from day to day, causing inconsistent effects and potentially higher risk of side effects.
You might be tempted to think that simply putting it all in a bottle and shaking will do the trick – but you’d be wrong. The problem is that guaranteeing adequate dispersion is very challenging without specialised equipment normally only found in pharmaceutical manufacturing environments.
And before you break out your blender, just remember: any piece of equipment used to make Topical Finasteride should be considered contaminated and mustn’t be used for food preparation, unless you fancy serving your mates a bit of Finasteride in their next margarita.
Where Else is Topical Finasteride Available?
As you can see, while it is possible to create a Topical Finasteride solution at home, the risks clearly outweigh any benefits you’re likely to get.
Luckily, this isn’t your only option. Hims offers a range of other effective hair loss treatments at an affordable price.
Who Should be Using Topical Finasteride?
Topical Finasteride is for men aged 18 and over who are experiencing Male Pattern Baldness (MPB). Finasteride has been shown to effectively prevent hair loss by blocking the hormone primarily responsible for MPB.
Many guys prefer using Topical Finasteride because the Topical treatment doesn’t carry the same risks of side effects as oral Finasteride tablets — though this risk is relatively small anyway; over 96% of men do not experience adverse side effects from oral Finasteride.
Men who use Topical Finasteride typically report no side effects after using the treatment. This makes it a great choice for men who want to prevent hair loss but are anxious about side effects associated with the oral treatment.
If you do have any concerns at all about side effects associated with Finasteride, you should contact your GP.
Take a look at our ‘Topical Finasteride Usage Guide’ for more information about daily usage of your solution.
How Effective is Topical Finasteride For Combating Hair Loss?
Finasteride is the most effective prescription-strength hair loss treatment available. It has been shown to be effective at stopping hair loss and promoting hair regrowth for up to 90% of guys.
Studies have shown that Topical Finasteride is just as effective at treating hair loss as oral Finasteride tablets.
This study of Topical Finasteride showed that a group of 52 men using the treatment had a significant decrease in hair loss levels, and a “reduction in balding areas”.
Another study, conducted in 2014, with 23 male subjects aged between 18–65 years old, showed that DHT levels were reduced by 68–75% when using topical Finasteride, and by 62–72% when using oral Finasteride tablets.
In conclusion, Topical Finasteride is a scientifically-backed hair loss treatment which is equally effective as oral Finasteride tablets, with none of the same risk of side effects.
Find Out if Topical Finasteride is Right for You
Perhaps you like the sound of Topical Finasteride, but you’re still not sure if it’s the right hair loss solution for you?
When you speak to a Hims UK-registered clinician, they can work with you to figure out the treatment is suitable for you, so you can be sure you’re on the right path.
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At Hims, we would never advise you to make or modify medicines at home. Medicines are manufactured under strict quality assurance protocols and in controlled environments which would be impossible to replicate in the home. This is to ensure that the final product is both safe and effective for individual use.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment or medication.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment or medication.
